for·te
1 (fôŕtā́, fôrt, fōrt)
[French fort, from Old French, strong, from Latin fortis; see fort.]
noun
- Something in which a person excels.
- The strong part of a sword blade, between the middle and the hilt.
usage note
Usage Note: The word forte, coming from French fort, should properly be pronounced with one syllable, like the English word fort. Common usage, however, prefers the two-syllable pronunciation, (fôŕtā́), which has been influenced possibly by the music term forte borrowed from Italian. In a recent survey a strong majority of the Usage Panel, 74 percent, preferred the two-syllable pronunciation. The result is a delicate situation; speakers who are aware of the origin of the word may wish to continue to pronounce it as one syllable but at an increasing risk of puzzling their listeners.
synonyms:
forte1métier, specialty, thing These nouns denote something at which a person is particularly skilled: Writing fiction is her forte. The theater is his métier. The professor's specialty was the study of ancient languages. Mountain climbing is really my thing.
for·te
2 (fôŕtā́)
Music [Italian, strong, forte, from Latin fortis.]
adverb adjective
- In a loud, forceful manner. Used chiefly as a direction.
noun
- A note, passage, or chord played forte.
